So there are some weird things about living in a small town, even if it is next to a big city. Like a phone call from the town, one of those automated phone systems to let you know about emergencies and such, to tell you that the circus has moved due to the rain. Okay....didn't even know the circus was in town, but by golly, I would have hated to have gone to the old spot and not found the tent....of course the new location being so far from the old one....across the street.

But I'm glad to know my tax dollars are hard at work!

That balance thing? Obviously I'm not too committed to it, I agreed to a new puppy.

What was I thinking?? But she's really cute, and pretty good as far as puppies go. She helps us pick up the playroom by grabbing any toy on the ground, she keeps the cats in order by keeping them up high or outside, she even cleans the litter box, if I let her, but since she also likes to lick my toes, I try not to let her very often, if you know what I mean.

Camille started soccer as well. Of course, to her first practice she had to wear a skirt and in between turns she was practicing her high kicks. She really, really, really wants to be a pee-wee cheerleader and I am fighting it soooooo hard. So I'm letting her try everything else in hopes that something will grab her attention. It's not that I'm trying to be controlling (okay, maybe a little), it's just that we live in Texas and well, I'm not all that crazy about being put on a hit list. Any ideas?

It's all about balance. My life has been out of balance the last year and I'm trying to get a grip on it again. I think that's why I love my yoga class so much is because for that 1 hour 3 days a week (if I'm lucky) I'm balanced. Everything I do to the left, I do to the right, I'm centered, I'm grounded, and yet I'm still reaching and stretching. My goal is to take that out into the real world. Balancing my kids activities with some of my own, balancing work with pleasure, balancing responsibility with freedom. It's a skill more than a gift, so I'll keep practicing. Taking a few falls I'm sure, but that's how I grow and eventually I'll get it right.   No that isn't me, and yes, I'll get tired of the yoga metaphor someday.

How sad is this, it's been so long since I've really written on here that I don't even recognize the toolbar. I mean, I know what the boxes all mean, I use them on email and my document program, but it doesn't feel like home anymore. Like I went away to college and my mom turned my room into her craft room or something. Familiar, but not really home. Not sure what that means yet, I'll have to chew on that a bit.

But I did want to tell you I have a new passion. Relatively new, I started about 5 months ago. Yoga! I love it, the challenge, the simplicity, the mind stretch, the muscle stretch. I'm discovering a few things as I begin this journey, I'm still pretty flexible and once I lose some more weight it will be easier to fold and bend, and I'm really good at firelog pose.

My right knee is still messed up from a horseback fall about 11 years ago, but it's getting stronger, and I can hold a plank way longer now than I ever thought possible back in September.

I know I need to add cardio to my workout, but now I have my yoga class as a carrot to dangle in front of me as reward.

I guess I kind of fibbed about still being around, I do visit quite a few sites still, old friends from 5 or so years ago. I'm impressed that there are so many of us still around. But I just haven't made the time to write. Things are going pretty well here at our house. Still a little tighter financially than I would like, but it's definitely headed in the right direction. The kids are getting bigger and more independent, meaning I spend more time carting them around. My van is a very scary place! It's been a transforming year for my husband and I ... for the first time I feel like we are working as a team, supporting each other and headed in the same direction. It's a shame to spend 10 years yoked to another person and heading in opposite directions, puts a lot of stress on your neck! It was a lot of hard work, but well worth it, I'm thinking the next ten years will be a lot more fun.

So anyway, I just wanted to say hello to my old friends and let you know that even though I'm not updating, I'm stopping by and perhaps in 2007 I'll start writing again.